JH Wildlife Film Festival adds board members

WYOMING – As the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival & Conservation Summit enters its 27th year, the organization announced the election of a new board members.

CEO and founder of Off the Fence Productions ?Ellen Windemuth? will chair the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival Board. A seasoned executive producer, distributor and conservationist, Windemuth succeeds former chair ?Michael Rosenfeld, who will remain on the leadership team as Chairperson Emeritus.

Geoff Daniels

Geoff Daniels?, Executive Vice President and General Manager for National Geographic WILD will assume the office of treasurer.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Ellen’s experience and talent in this leadership role right now,” Lisa Samford, executive director, said. “It’s a dynamic time, and the board is taking on a much deeper engagement. We have more and more urgent needs with the species and habitats around our fragile planet, so we are dramatically expanding our efforts to amplify the amazing work of those on the front lines of nature and conservation storytelling.”

Windemuth established the independent production and distribution company Off the Fence Productions in 1994. Specializing in nonfiction, Off the Fence has since acquired, produced and co-produced over 6,000 hours of content, with Windemuth herself producing more than 400 hours to date. Off the Fence has won more than 90 awards including two Emmy nominations.

The year 2018 is expected to be an exciting and industrious one for the Jackson Hole team. The organization has expanded partnerships with the United Nations/CITES and U.S. State Department, and the team is initiating global partnerships for the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and WILD on Tour screening events.

“?Jackson Hole is far more than a festival and industry conference. Its initiatives are very close to my heart,” Windemuth said. “We will continue to strengthen and accelerate close working relationships between the NGOs doing the heavy lifting in the field, and producers, broadcasters and digi-nets to create a new raft of high impact films. Lisa and this board are the most dedicated people one could wish for as we amplify the important science and conservation work underway to save our planet. Now is the time.”

The new executive officers are joined on the executive committee of the board by officers, ?Paul Baribault?, Vice President of Disneynature and Animation Marketing at Walt Disney Studios and ?Carole Tomko, ?General Manager and Creative Director of Vulcan Productions.